Some medical devices a configured to provide intravenous therapy in which and an intravenous infusion of a fluid is administered through an intravenous cannula. The intravenous cannula normally includes a distal tip region that is configured to insert through a skin opening and into a selected body vessel (e.g., a vein in a patient's arm or leg) while a proximal hub remains external to skin opening for connection with a separate medicinal fluid line. This type of intravenous infusion therapy provides a direct route to the bloodstream which allows for hydration, administration of blood or blood products and administration of medications. Medications that are administered intravenously can achieve therapeutic effects more rapidly and, in some cases, using a lower dose.
Typical intravenous cannulas may extend for several inches in length and normally include a fluid lumen that extends to a distal port and the tip of the cannula. In some version, the intravenous cannula may include large, flat “wings” or “tabs” that remain external to the skin and are equipped to adhere to the outer surface of the patient's skin. In other circumstances, the intravenous cannula may be secured to the skin penetration site using adhesive tape that is wrapped around an outer circumferential surface region of the intravenous cannula and around an adjacent portion of the patient's arm or leg.